Over the last number of weeks, children, SNAs and parents were put through mental torture because of a decision made by the Ministers' Government. What happened was disgraceful. The Ministers had a plan to cut SNAs from schools and to deprive some children of the supports they had. They thought they would get away with it. Over the course of the last two weeks, I listened to both Ministers doubling down because they thought this would blow over and go away. They were asked time and again on national media whether any schools would lose their SNAs. They were asked whether they could give a guarantee that no schools would lose SNAs and that no children would lose their supports. They were not in a position to do so because they were hoping this issue would go away. It did not go away because SNAs and parents stood up and were not having it. It was only when protests were being organised outside Government Members' constituency offices in county after county, when an online public meeting took place and when it became clear and obvious that this was not going to go away that we saw a partial temporary climb-down from the Government. I have a message for the two Ministers across from me. Temporary solutions are not going to cut it. They have to show respect and dignity to SNAs. They have to give a guarantee that there will not be any cuts this year, next year or the year after. Where more capacity is needed, they need to recruit more SNAs. They need to value all of the work SNAs do in every school across this State.

Sentiment score: 0.03

That is not what was happening.

Sentiment score: 0.00

It should have been done first.

Sentiment score: 0.00

This is an absolute joke.

Sentiment score: 0.30

Communication was not the problem; it was the Minister's decision.

Sentiment score: 0.31